Preserving the Grand Canyon

Theodore Roosevelt signed the "Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities," also known as the Antiquities Act or the National Monuments Act, on June 8, 1906. The law authorized the President at his discretion to "declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic and scientific interest that are situated upon lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be National Monuments." TR established the first 18 National Monuments. No President since has matched this record.

Chalmette Monument and Grounds, the site of much of the Battle of New Orleans, and of a later cemetery for veterans, was also established under the Roosevelt ad- ministration, on March 4, 1907. Chalmette National Historic Park, as it is now known, is located in St. Ber nard Parish, Louisiana, near the city of New Orleans.

The list of TR's National Monuments includes some of the greatest natural wonders and prehistoric remains in the United States. Roosevelt's philosophy on the preservation of natural wonders was summed up in remarks he made at the Grand Canyon in 1903:

"In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which, so far as I know, is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world. ...Keep this great wonder of nature as it is. ...You can not improve it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it."

National Monuments
created by Theodore Roosevelt

1. Devils Tower, Wyoming, September 24, 1906.
2. El Morro, New Mexico, December 8, 1906.
3. Montezuma Castle, Arizona,
. . . . . .December 8, 1906.
4. Petrified Forest, Arizona, December 8, 1906.*
5. Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, March 11, 1907.
6. Lassen Peak, California, May 6, 1907. *
7. Cinder Cone, California, May 6, 1907.*
8. Gila Cliff Dwellings, New Mexico,
. . . . . .November 16, 1907.
9. Tonto, Arizona, December 19, 1907.
10. Muir Woods, California, January 9, 1908.
11. Grand Canyon, Arizona, January 11, 1908*
12. Pinnacles, California, January 16, 1908.
13. Jewel Cave, South Dakota, February 7, 1908.
14. Natural Bridges, Utah, April 16, 1908.
15. Lewis & Clark, Montana, May 11, 1908
. . . . (later given to the State of Montana).**
16. Tumacacori, Arizona, September 15, 1908.
17. Wheeler, Colorado, December 7, 1908
. . . . (given to the Forest Service in 1950).**
18. Mount Olympus, Washington, March 2, 1909.

* Now part of National Parks.

**Abolished as a National Monument.

We continuously add links to conservation lands. If you know about a website we should consider for linking, please contact the webmaster at trinfo@cs.com

Note: The status, borders, names, and other details about the projects and areas mentioned in these lists have changed over the years. For instance, some National monuments are now parts of National Parks, while the borders and names of National Forests have been changed in some cases.

Compiled and edited from research done by the National Geographic Society and The Theodore Roosevelt Association staff.
Copyright November 2005 all rights reserved Theodore Roosevelt Association.
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